Alarm-clock.



G. KERN.

ALARM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 191s.-

Patented Mar. 10, 191 i iililillilli! COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH CO-WASHINGTDN. I:v c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE KERN, 0F PERU, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN CLOCK COMPANY, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ALARM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed August 16, 1913. Serial No. 785,130.

To all MILO 17bit may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE KERN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of the town of Peru, La Salle county, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm- Clocks; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to alarm clocks, particularly to alarm sounding devices in connection therewith, and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings already referred to, which serve to illustrate my said invention more fully, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a typical alarm clock embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section in the direction of the arrow pointers in line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3Vis a section in the direction of the arrow pointers in line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section of a fragment in the direction of the arrow pointers in line H of Fig. 1.

Like parts are designated by corresponding characters or symbols of reference in all the figures of the drawing. The essence of my invention resides in the arrangement of a plurality of alarm bells mounted on the back of the typical alarm clock of present day manufacture, said bells being arranged within each other and sounded by a common striker. Releasing the mechanism permitting the striker to operate at a predetermined time has no part in this invention, as any of the present releasing devices may be employed; nor has the usual clock train of springs, escapements, gears and clock hands any direct bearing, and these parts are therefore eliminated from the drawing; it being understood that any typical clock train may be used.

To better understand the details of my invention I now refer to the drawing in which Y 1 v A is a fragment of the cylindrical shell or body of an alarm clock, and B the rear wall thereof, said wall having a continuous peripheral flange C fitting the interior of said body A, with said wall forming a flush back to said shell or body; though, it is to be understood that said rear wall may be located within or project beyond said shell as may be desired.

Projecting perpendicularly from the outer face of back B, properly spaced about the axis of said back, and riveted or otherwise fastened thereto, are studs 1, 2 and 3. These studs are shouldered down to a smaller diameter at their outer ends as at 4, Figs. 3 and 4, and threaded to fit nuts 5, 6 and 7, said shouldered portions being adapted to enter suitable apertures in a preferably tri angular shaped bridge 8, which bridge is maintained in rigid position by means of aforesaid nuts tightly screwed down upon said studs in a manner easily understood. Bridge 8 is generally made from sheet steel or brass and is provided with a circular, outwardly extending boss 9 arranged concentrically with the axis of back B and shell or body A. Said boss is formed up by the well known process of drawing in suitable dies, and has in its outer face 10 a circular, axial depression 11, said depression being adapted to receive annular .lip 12, arranged axially within a flat bottomed, flanged, resonant, circular shell 13. This shell is in reality an alarm bell, and while its bottom is shown as flat, it may be dished in or outwardly to suit the designers fancy or artistic taste. Theflange let of this bell extends toward and reaches to within a short distance of the back B as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to cover from view the posts 1, 2 and 3, the bridge 8, the nuts 5, 6 and 7 and likewise to conceal a similar, smaller, circular, concentrically arranged bell 15, provided with a like flange 16 extending in the same direction as flange 14 of hell 13. Bell 15 is held in spaced relationship to the under face of bridge 8 by a rivet 16, washer 1?) being interposed between said bell and bridge 8 to prevent a reduction in resonance thereof. The larger bell 13 is fixed to boss 9, on bridge 8: screws 17 being employed to rigidly maintain said bell in place. The boss 9 being of relatively small diameter as compared to that of bell. 13, no loss of resonance of said bell will result from such fastening.

Located at a suitable point in the hereinbefore mentioned bridge 8 is a jewel or other bearing 18 and placed in direct alinement therewith in the wall B is a like journaling means 18, which bearings are provided for the reception of the ends of a hammer shaft 19. Upon the shaft at a point within the flange 14 is securely fixed a bell-cranked hanrmer arm 20, at the long end of which arm is located a hammer 21, which is adapted to alternately impact with flanges 1 1 and 16 of bells 13 and 15. The short end of said bell-cranked arm is slotted as at 22 to re ceive the end of a pin 23 protruding through an arcuate slot 24 in back wall B. Pin 23 is adapted to be oscillated by internal mechanism designated as a whole as 25 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in elevation in Fig. 2. This internal mechanism forms no part of my invention but may consist, for instance, of an arm a to which the inner end of pin 23 is fastened; a stud b, to which the opposite extremity of said arm is rigidly attached; a suitably mounted and pivoted scapement dog 0 to which said stud is firmly fixed; and any typical spring actuated escapement wheel (not shown) for oscillating said dog 0 and said pin 2", through the members a and Z).

In the bottoms of bells 13 and 15, the bridge 8, and the back B are produced apertures 50, 51, 52 and 53 for the passage therethrough of suitable keys to wind up the time and alarm mechanism, and to set the clock hands and alarm actuating devices.

It will now be observed that the hammer shaft 19, hammer arm 20, and hammer 21 are located entirely exteriorly of the clock case or body, and yet are effectually concealed from view by the bells 13 and 15, a tremendous advantage in the mechanical and economical assembly of such mechanisms.

As is known the usual clock and alarm mechanism of an alarm clock is attached to the rear wall B of the shell or body A. Such is the case with my invention, and I now wish to point out the case of assembling the exterior elements comprising my invention.

It being assumed that the studs 1, 2 and 3 are already in place on back B, it is simply necessary to slip the end of hammer shaft 19 into bearing 18, holding the former in position to allow its opposite end to enter journal 18, while the bridge 8 (with the bell 15 affixed thereto) is slipped against the shoulders 4 of said studs 1, 2, and 3, after which nuts 5, 6 and 7 are clamped home. Then all that is required is to center bell 13 in boss 9 and properly enter and tighten screws 17.

Attention is now directed to the fact that I produce an alarm clock with a perfectly smooth exterior, possessed of bells which may be attuned to a pleasing musical chord;

one of which bells not only conceals the other but also the common striking mechanism therefor.

\Vhile herein I have described the preferred mode of practising my invention, 1 may make such changes as would suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic and permitted under the doctrine of natural equivalents.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure for myself by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In an alarm clock, a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a hammer shaft journalcd in said back exteriorly of said body, there being an outer end support for said shaft, a hammer arm and head fixed to said shaft, means connected to said. alarm mechanism, protruding through said back, adapted to impart motion to said ham mer arm, head, and shaft, and resonant members impacted by said hammer head.

In an alarm clock, a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a hammer shaft journaled in said back exteriorly of said body, an outer end support for said shaft connected to said back, a hammer arm and head fixed to said shaft, means connected to said alarm mechanism, protruding through said back, adapted to impart oscillatory motion to said hammer arm and head, and resonant members alternately impacted by said hammer head.

3. An alarm clock including a body, alarm actuating mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a bottomed, flanged, concentric, resonant member fixed to said back, a smaller, similar, resonant member arranged concentrically within said first named memher, a hammer located in the annular space between said resonant members, and means protruding through said back actuating said hammer.

4. An alarm including a body, a back thereto, a bottomed, flanged, concentric, resonant member fixed to said back, a smaller, similar, resonant member arranged concentrically within said first named member, the flange of the larger of said members pointing in the direction of said back to conceal said smaller member, a hammer located in the annular space between said resonant members, and means protruding through said back actuating said hammer.

5. An alarm clock including a body, alarm actuating mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a supporting bridge on said back, a bottomed, flanged concentric, resonant member fixed to the top face of said bridge, a smaller, similar, resonant member arranged concentrically within said first named member, and afiixed underneath said bridge a hammer located in the annular space between said resonant members, and means protruding through said back actuating said hammer.

6. An alarm clock including a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a support extending outwardly from said back, a bottomed, flanged, concentric resonant member fixed to said support with its flange pointing in the direction of said back and reaching adjacent thereto, but not in contact therewith, a smaller, similar, resonant member arranged within and concentric to said first named member and supported from said support, a hammer located in the annular space between said members, and means protruding through said back actuating said hammer, said flange of said larger resonant member concealing said smaller resonant member and said hammer.

7. An alarm clock including a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a plate located exteriorly of, connected to, and arranged parallel with said back, a hammer shaft pivoted in said plate and said back, a hammer arm and head fixed to said shaft, means connected to said alarm mechanism, protruding through said back, adapted to impart oscillatory motion to, said hammer arm and head, and resonant members alternately impacted by said hammer head.

8. An alarm clock including a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, a

plate located exteriorly of, connected to, and arranged parallel with said back, a hammer shaft pivoted in said plate and said back, a bell-cranked hammer arm fixed to said shaft, the long end of which arm has a hammer head, and the short end a slotted opening, means connected to said alarm mechanism, protruding through said back and engaging said slotted opening, to oscillate said arm, and resonant members alternately impacted by said hammer head.

9. An alarm clock including a body, alarm mechanism therein, and a back thereto, supporting posts on said back, a bridge having a depending resonant member depending therefrom, fixed to said posts, there being in said bridge a journal bearing, and similar journaling means in said back in alinement therewith, a hammer shaft with its opposite ends located in said journals, a hammer arm and head fixed to said shaft, means for oscillating said shaft, and a resonant cover attached to said bridge, covering all of aforesaid mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE KERN. In the presence of ANTON LINK, HERMAN A. LINK.

Copies of this patent my be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente- Washington, I). O. 

